Now that Nobby is in Peru he has reportedly stated that he wants to resurrect his international career and play an active role in all their matches.

We can't build a side around this sort of thing. I've no qualms with Solano playing for his country but I reckon we should sell him. Play Dyer as an out and out right winger and we'll see better play from Dyer.

The mess that is the constant selection of Dyer and Solano down the right has been the main reason why our midfield has been so lop sided.

Sell Solano and sign a left winger with the cash. Cheers Nobby, you've given us some wonderful performances but some inneffective ones also.

-- Anonymous, March 21, 2001

Answers

Agree totally!!! Nobby is not consistant enough, and now with all the travelling hes going to do, get shot while we can get big money for him!!

-- Anonymous, March 21, 2001

I could certainly be tempted DB, depending on what was offered.

The thing is BR seems to really rate Nobby, despite their love/hate relationship. In addition, BR seems to feel YKD's best position is playing behind two big 'uns. So, it is going to take a major change in opinion from Bobby to cause him to get shot of Solano and play YKD wide right - however Solano's inistence on playing extensively for Peru again might just provide the catalyst.

I actually think you might be right in saying YKD's best position may be wide right in a relatively free role, with as you suggest us also playing with a genuine wide man on the left that would give us better balance.

One thing's for sure, Solano's continual absences and extended travelling will do us no good whatsoever in getting a settled and balanced team pattern - it certainly represents a real problem for us.

-- Anonymous, March 21, 2001

Playing YKD behind the fron two seems to negate our options down the left and I think teams can defend easier knowing that they only have to worry about Quinn as a threat down the left. They can squeeze their defence, like we should, so that Solano and Dyer are faced with a brick wall to unlock/knock down.

Dyer can always unlock defences with his pace and movement but there has to be space for him to run into. We just don't seem to create this space. If we ever get Shearer and Cort back together this may change but until then we are not going to unlock defences, hence our poor scoring record this season.

If we start next season with Nobby and Dyer in the same midfield accompanied by two cloggers I will be pretty pissed off. Why not even play Solano down the left and tell him to stay predominantly there?

-- Anonymous, March 21, 2001

The extended absences are indeed a problem for him as a Toon player and would be equally an issue if we want to sell him I guess, reducing his value.

I know our old friend Septic Bladder is reported as wanting to regularise football as a world game with the same calendar across the globe. I'm not sure how it would work but it would be very good if all internationals world wide could be held on dates which did not interfere with league programs. Can't see it happening in the near future so we are stuck with this problem.

-- Anonymous, March 21, 2001

I'm also dying to see Bonvin get a chance before this season is out. He seems to be putting in some good performances for the reserves week in week out. I don't care if he's young and has loads to learn. He may not be as good as either Dyer or Solano but he's a bliddy left winger. We have to get away from this playingcentral midfielders on the left just because they seem better players. Have two players in the centre who are there to break up the attacks of the opposition and release our creative players and don't give them the responsibility of creativity which they can't do. Bassedas has the passing ability to use wingers, but I fear we'll never see this. The midfield may look a tad lightweight but look at Manure's and with the exception of Keane they're not exactly heavyweights.

Given

Griffin-Hughes-Caldwell-Quinn

Acuna/Lee-Bassedas/Speed

Dyer------------------------------Bonvin

Shearer-Cort

-- Anonymous, March 21, 2001

I tend to go with the opinion that Dyer will be best on the wing. Playing behind the front two is all well and good, but it negates one of the aspects that makes him outstanding - his tireless running. The wing back role puts too much emphasis on this, but a roving wing position will allow him to cause damage where it hurts most, and his ability and willingness to track back will make a full back's life a lot easier.

-- Anonymous, March 21, 2001

The combined issues of playing Solano & YKD and two target men represent a major problem of team balance for us, and may be incompatible.

So far, BR has tried to compensate by using an advanced LFB - Domi couldn't or didn't want to fill the role, and Quinn may possibly not be up to it. The problem here is that when playing LFB, the player inevitably has priority defensive duties which are made more onerous by not having a left-winger tracking back to help. Therefore I'm far from sure that this is a practical solution.

I keep returning to believing that the only way of accomodating 2 target men and Nobs/KD, would be to play 3-4-1-2. I have a suspicion we will play that way next season, and that Quinn and O'Brien have been bought specifically with that in mind.

-- Anonymous, March 21, 2001

I reckon that if Chile beat Peru in next week then Peru are out of the world cup. The remaining games will basically be friendlies so Nobby may not be too keen to go. I wouldn't contemplate selling either of them as we need two good players in each position. Dyer and Solano both should share the right midfield slot.

-- Anonymous, March 21, 2001

Would that be with Quinn playing as the left sided player of the four?

I think the trouble with our midfield is that from afar it just looks bloody messy! No structure or shape. Central midfielders everywhere trying to plug gaps left by confused team-mates.

-- Anonymous, March 21, 2001

That would be all well and good if Dyer and Solano could accept that Rik. I can't see Dyer accepting a bit part in our team next season when he can easily go to another club and play themajority of the season on the right wing. Imagine if Leeds DID sign him:

Dyer-Dacourt-Batty-Kewell

Keane-Viduka

Nothing complicated with that but I bet they'd be a hell of a unit.

-- Anonymous, March 21, 2001

errrr.....

hate to spoil the party lads and lasses but when was the last time anyone saw Dyer put in a decent cross for someone to get on the end of?? And don't give me that 'playing out of position' nonsense either.

OK, so Nol hasn't done that for a while but i've seen him do it more than once. I can't say i've seen Dyer do it....

someone remind me....

-- Anonymous, March 21, 2001

min,

I think the presumed 'quid pro quo' here is that YKD would play on the right of m/f with a new, top-class left-sided player on the other wing who would provide the crosses for the big guys.

It all comes down to whether you really rate Solano and his overall season-long contribution, and whether you believe YKD's slight frame is really equipped to play in the middle, or whether he would be more productive on the flank.

-- Anonymous, March 21, 2001

If you've ever watched footage of Dyer when he played for the England U21's you'd see him doing it. Just before he joined us I watched a few of the U21 games and he looked outstanding on the right wing. I really thought we were in for a real treat. Whilst he has performed, too much is expected of him.

Look at when he came on against France and crossed for Owen to score!

-- Anonymous, March 21, 2001

His standard "cross" is a pass to the near post. If you have a mobile forward who can get in front of his marker and power it in on the turn then Bob's your uncle (though probably not the manager of the club you support). What he does well from wide positions is break from defence when we win the ball (not gained position from defending a corner all season bar by restarting from the centre circle) and dribbling into the box and falling down. Won us a few pens but no friends and has had good cases for pens turned down due to triple- somersault with pike. See White Hart Lane for details.

-- Anonymous, March 21, 2001

"So Kieron, for the benefit of all your fans out there in New-carsel- land, what do you believe is your greatest asset out there on the pitch, as it were?"

"The way I dribble into the box, and fall down!"

Yeeess! Love it. ;-{))

-- Anonymous, March 21, 2001

Dyer should be where he can do the most damage. His unique asset is his speed (as opposed to Speed who is a unique ass). To hurt the opposition he should be as close to their last defender as possible.

Whether this is on the wing or in the middle ddoesn't really matter. If he's on the wing we need clever forwards able to make space for themselves in the box and be on the end of crosses, the forwards also need to have the pace to match Dyer as he breaks down the wing. If Dyer plays in the middle he has more options to pressurise (usually) slower centre halves. The only concern is his inability to consistently finish off the chances he makes.

For me we have only looked a good team a few times this season. Two things have been apparent on those occasions one has been Glass playing and giing us options left to balance the right. The other time is when Dyer and Solano have linked with each other. They are both bright players, see gaps, move into them and together they look very nice together.

-- Anonymous, March 21, 2001

Clarky, for full effect it should be one of those awful Garth Crooks interviews where he brings an extra camera team to show us his reaction shots as he goes through his full repetoire of being the "thinking man's ex-footballer". Pursing his lips and resting chin on steepled hands. Slight frown as he nods patronisingly. Questions phrased in such a way that you hear Crooks's opinion followed by the answer "yes", "no" or "to be fair". All of this done without shedding the faintest light on the career, strengths, desires or plans of the interviewee but hours more footage for Crooks's private collection.

p.s. Not a fan, can you tell? :-)

-- Anonymous, March 21, 2001

I'm not on for selling the better players at all. Solano may be a little in & out but of the games I've seen, only he & Dyer have any clue.

What would you rather do, sell Solano for 4-5 million or sell Speed & Lee for 3-4 million?

We've seen the logic of selling Domi & how easy he was to replace (OK he played crap for most of the season) and time will tell if swapping Goma for O'Brien + 2m was a great idea but i'd bet we spend another £4m trying to find a half decent alternative.

-- Anonymous, March 21, 2001

Frankly Dave, I'd sell all three of them for £9 million if it was on the table.

-- Anonymous, March 21, 2001

somebody should rename this the tactical genius thread.. hmhu

football is not a game of straight lines

-- Anonymous, March 21, 2001

Well don't stop there GB, enlighten us further.

-- Anonymous, March 21, 2001

Must be a canny view from New York. What would the match goers know about it anyway? Simplest game on the planet: if you can't score goals you've got to prevent goals. Players who can do both are like goal dust and players that can't do either consistently aren't worth piddling on if they're on fire. I cannot abide players who fanny about betwixt the two whilst frustrated poets go into raptures about them. Stick the ball where it hurts, leave your foot in or f*ck off.

Debate is more than a succession of one-liners. High time you contributed something constructive instead of dropping put-downs.

-- Anonymous, March 21, 2001

no its not

-- Anonymous, March 21, 2001

Is this the literary genius thread by any chance?

-- Anonymous, March 21, 2001

no, the literary genius thread is down the hall

this is abuse and contradiction.

-- Anonymous, March 21, 2001

No it isn't

-- Anonymous, March 21, 2001

F**K off the lot of yer....

;@)

-- Anonymous, March 21, 2001

Any dead parrots for sale?

Ah well, as min says, f*ck off the lot of youse.

-- Anonymous, March 22, 2001

STOP this thread. It's getting TOO silly.

-- Anonymous, March 22, 2001